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Trafficking from Nigeria to Germany

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A significant number of non-European victims identified in Germany come from Nigeria. Large numbers of Nigerian women are also exploited in prostitution in other western European countries, such as the Netherlands and Italy (United States Department of State, 2013 Trafficking in Persons Report).

Like Grace, many Nigerian victims are coerced into prostitution through juju rituals, where they take an oath to do whatever necessary to pay off their debt to traffickers (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Measures to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings in Benin, Nigeria and Togo, September 2006).

Many of the women SOLWODI works with who come from outside Germany are made vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation because of the situation in their home countries, including high unemployment, lack of opportunities and instability

SOLWODI has been coming across younger and younger victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation. They have also noticed a worsening of the situation in terms of trafficking since prostitution was legalized in Germany in 2002. In their experience, legalization has not helped the situation of women in prostitution, but has only benefited brothel owners, pimps, traffickers and buyers